Petunia plant named ‘Sutulim’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sutulim’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; white-colored flowers with yellow green-colored venation and centers; resistance to mildew; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUTULIM’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sutulim’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Petunia plants with freely branching and flowering habit, attractive flower coloration and resistance to mildew.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 2008 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Petunia×hybrida. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany since the summer of 2009, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sutulim’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sutulim’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. White-colored flowers with yellow green-colored venation and         centers.     -   6. Resistance to mildew.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant uniformity, flowering habit and flower color.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘Kerveryello’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Kerveryello’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Kerveryello’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia flowered earlier than plants of         ‘Kerveryello’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had slightly smaller flowers than         plants of ‘Kerveryello’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Kerveryello’ differed slightly         in flower color.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia were resistant to mildew whereas         plants of ‘Kerveryello’ were susceptible to mildew.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sutulim’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Sutulim’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 to 90 klux. Plants were pinched two times and were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sutulim’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at             temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven to nine days at             temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three to             four weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; medium in thickness.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and mounding plant habit;             freely branching habit with about eight to ten lateral             branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; moderately vigorous growth habit and             rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm to 33 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 35 cm to 37 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 16 cm to 22 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm to 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm to 2 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Pubescent; viscid.         -   Color.—Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate and opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2 cm to 6 cm.         -   Width.—About 1 cm to 3.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute or obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent, viscid.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanding leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 146C. Fully expanding leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 146C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5 mm to 10 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, viscid. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit;             flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Petunia begin flowering about five to six weeks             after planting; long flowering period; flowering commences             naturally during the spring and plants flower continuously             throughout the summer and autumn until frost in Germany.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to six             days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About 5             mm to 10 mm. Shape: Tubular. Color: Close to 144C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm to 5.5 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 4 cm to 4.5 cm.         -   Tube length.—About 2.5 cm to 3 cm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 2.5 cm. Petal width: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm. Petal             shape: Roughly spatulate, rounded. Petal apex: Rounded.             Petal margin: Slightly serrate; undulate. Petal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to 157C; towards             the center, close to 151C. Petal, when opening, lower             surface: Close to 157C, towards the center, close to 145C.             Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 157B; towards             the center, close to 151D; venation, close to 151D. Petal,             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 157B; towards the             center, close to 145C; venation, close to 145C. Throat:             Close to 151D; venation, close to 151D. Tube: Close to 145C;             venation, close to 145C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx with five sepals             fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About 1 cm to             3 cm. Sepal width: About 1 mm to 5 mm. Sepal shape: Oblong.             Sepal apex: Obtuse, slightly acute. Sepal margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; viscid.             Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm to 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 1             mm to 2 mm. Aspect: About 25° to 40° from vertical.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent; viscid.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement: Five             per flower. Filament length: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Filament             color: Close to 155D. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length:             About 1 mm to 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 2D. Pollen             amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 2D. Pistils:             Quantity: One per flower. Style length: About 2 cm to             2.5 cm. Style color: Close to 146C. Stigma shape: Rounded,             parted. Stigma color: Close to 146B. Ovary color: Close to             144B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not             been observed on plants of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have been     observed to be resistant to mildew (Podosphaera xanthii). Plants of     the new Petunia have not been observed to be resistant to pests and     other pathogens common to Petunia plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sutulim’ as illustrated and described. 